


When We're In The Darkness (only the blind can see)

by MasterOfMyFateCaptainOfMySoul



Series: the Renegade and the Rebel [1]
Category: DCU, Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: @DC give me Good Dad Bruce back again, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, F/M, Former Talon Dick Grayson, Gen, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Tim Drake Being a Little Shit, for once, renegade dick grayson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29207172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasterOfMyFateCaptainOfMySoul/pseuds/MasterOfMyFateCaptainOfMySoul
Summary: After they are attacked by a mysterious group called the Court of Owls, the Bats reluctantly enlist the help of the Justice League to take the Court down. Jason calls in an old friend, the notorious Renegade, to provide information. But Renegade has secrets of his own, and the Court won't go down easily.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Series: the Renegade and the Rebel [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2144439
Comments: 42
Kudos: 147





	1. Speak Not A Whispered Word

**Author's Note:**

> I should probably be working on TIWWCA but this idea bit me when I was out on a walk and I can't get rid of it. I have a complete plot and everything! Updates for both this and TIWWCA will be slow as I have Midterms coming up that were delayed bc of COVID but I will try my best. I'll update the tags soon as well  
> I hope you enjoy!

“Alright, that’s the last of Metropolis business. Batman, anything to add from Gotham?” Superman says cheerily and Jason once again contemplates lacing a bullet with Kryptonite and etching the aliens name on it. Then Bruce is looking at him and he remembers why he came to this meeting in the first place.

“Yeah, we got business. Recently an underground society called the Court of Owls surfaced. They were supposed to be a myth, a scary rhyme that parents tell their kids to shut them up. ‘Eat your broccoli or else the Court will come for you’ and all that shit. Except they’re real. One of their assassins, known as Talons, tried to kill B and the Demon Brat a couple of days ago and their existence was confirmed. We’re gonna take them down but unfortunately even though B has kidnapped like seven children at this point, there still aren’t enough of us to eradicate the Court. So, our last resort was calling the League in.” He says.

Jason isn’t really one for long speeches (unless it’s on Austen or Shakespeare- he can monologue with the best of them) but right now he has the most knowledge on the court and the contacts that can bring more information.   
“Okay then, you need our help. That’s a first. What do you know about them? How big it is, how many people, that stuff.” Jordan says. The Lantern gets on his nerves a lot, but he is competent. Jason still doesn’t like him, and he hates what he’s about to admit.

“Not a lot. They’re big and they have creepily good assassins that can survive four bullets in their skulls. Maybe more I haven’t tested that yet. Good news is that I know a guy who can get us more detailed shit. You’re not gonna like him but I don’t really care. His name is Renegade.” Jason says and holds his breath, waiting for their reaction.   
They don’t disappoint. ”Renegade? He’s a mercenary, a murderer! He works with Deathstroke!” Superman cries out with his typical Boy Scout righteousness. The other Leaguers mutter and nod, agreeing.

“Yeah well, so am I. Besides, Ren probably has the info we need and if he doesn’t, he’s the best person to find it. He’s hacked Oracle before, there’s not much that can hide from him once he tries to find it. I called him earlier, but he only does commissions face to face when he’s taking them from capes. Bats gave me permission to give him a temporary zeta code. After this meeting, it won’t work again.” He says. 

That’s the part he’s been worrying about. The League can turn a blind eye when he’s gathering information from criminals out of their sight, but they won’t want to be confronted with it. They’re hypocritical like that.

“Batman, you gave this thug access to the Watchtower? Surely Renegade can’t be trusted.” Wonder Woman says incredulously. She has a point, Ren isn’t exactly a model citizen, but he likes Jason. And he hates it when people prey on kids, which the Court have definitely done.

“Yes. Red Hood trusts Renegade enough to broker a deal with him.” Bruce says stonily. That’s it then. The League stop protesting- Batman has laid down the law.  
Jason shoots a quick text to Ren and waits until he hears his temporary code chime from the zeta. He brings Ren into the meeting room and watches warily for any hint of danger from the Leaguers. They’re all tense but they don’t attack. 

He relaxes and sits down, motioning Ren to a seat opposite him. “So, the big bad Justice League need my help. I can’t guarantee it but I’m fond of Hood, so I’ll try my best.” Renegade drawls, spinning a knife between his fingers.  
He seems confident but Jason has known Renegade for three years. They might have been doing their level best to murder each other for the first year but Jason likes to think that he is one of the rare few that know what Renegade looks like when he’s truly relaxed. 

The League glance at each other, silently deciding who is going to do the talking. Jason ran out of patience when he ran out of life so he’s just gonna go ahead and talk. “We need information. You might have it already or you might need to gather it but honestly, you’re probably the best person for the job. It involves a lot of sneaking and you’re a goddamn shadow.” He says. Renegade is the most curious person he knows. If it sounds interesting enough, he’ll take the job.

“I’m intrigued now, Red. What could require my level of stealth? You can be fairly inconspicuous yourself.” Renegade says and Jason grins. _Hook, line and sinker. _  
“They already know who I am, and I’m technically affiliated with the League through the Bats. But you and I are notoriously enemies, even though we called a truce years ago. The truce isn’t common knowledge after all.” He’s walking a fine line. If he drags out the reveal for too long, Ren will get bored. And a bored Renegade isn’t good for anyone.  
He can see Ren getting irritated, so he decides to cut the cryptics before the knife tumbling through Ren’s hand ends up in his throat. “We need information on the Court of Owls.” He says bluntly.__

__Renegade drops his knife, metal clattering against the table. Jason has never seen Renegade lose his grasp on a weapon unless he’s throwing it. He’s clinging to the edge of the table, as if losing his grip on that too would send him collapsing to the ground.  
“Ren? You okay? I’m guessing you’ve heard of the Court then.” Jason says warily. He doesn’t try to go near him though. If Ren is having some sort of flashback, then Jason isn’t gonna be the asshole that tips it into a panic attack. _ _

__“Hood. If you go after them if you try to take them down, you will die.” Ren looks deadly serious. He also looks…. scared. Terrified even. Jason has seen him charm three mobsters while bleeding out from his leg. Ren is the master of concealing emotion and Jason has never seen him look scared. Fear isn’t in his vocabulary._ _

__“Ren, it’ll be okay. Its not just gonna be me, we’re bringing in the league. Us humans are awesome, but a bulletproof alien will come in pretty handy for this job. All we need is information. If you don’t have a lot of it, that’s cool, but you definitely know something and right now, we need that something. Please, Ren. I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t serious.” He says, slightly desperate. As much as he likes to pretend that he hates his family, seeing Damian lying still in a pool of his own blood terrified him. He _has _to keep them safe.___ _

____Renegade’s breathing slows to its normal pace and he takes a minute to collect himself. “I do have information on the Court, a lot of it. How much do you know at the moment?” He asks. To every other person in the room, he seems calm and collected. To Jason, he’s still unsteady._ _ _ _

____“Okay, we know that they’re a society operating in Gotham. They have assassins called Talons and these Talons take orders from the Owls, presumably the people in charge. The Talons have superhuman regenerative abilities and as far as I can tell, nothing sticks. I shot one straight in the heart and they got back up. We think that there’s ranks within their assassins. There was a lead Talon there, that the others called the Grand Master.” Jason sees Ren shudder at the name, and he winces but keeps talking.  
“The Grand Master also referred to another Talon, who we think might be the best of them. He called him th-“ _ _ _ _

____“The Gray Son of Gotham.” Renegade interrupts. Jason frowns. Usually Ren hates interrupting people, For a mercenary he’s quite polite. “Ren, how’d you know about this Gray Son? We couldn’t find anything.” Jason says. He knows that Ren has more information than he does, but still. The Gray Son seemed important, and most groups would try to keep their secret weapon contained._ _ _ _

____Ren smiles bitterly. “I told you my name months ago Hood. You make the connection.” He says softly. Jason is even more confused until it hits him. “Richard Grayson. Grayson. Gray Son. You’re a Talon?”_ _ _ _


	2. They Watch You At Your Hearth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! I really enjoy this story so far and the response has been great! Tysm for the comments and kudos  
> I forgot to put it in the first chapter but the title of this fic comes from the song Half-Light by BANNERS. Its about only showing half of yourself and then finally stepping into the light which I thought was pretty fitting  
> Enjoy!

The room falls silent after Jason’s accusation. Dick doesn’t refute it. He was a Talon. Not anymore, but the blood he spilt in his seven years with the Court won’t magically go away simply because he’s free. 

“What? You’re not gonna deny it? You’re actually one of those undead bastards?” Jason says incredulously. Dick shakes his head. “I’m sorry Hood. I escaped from the Court four years ago but well. **Speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send the Talon for your head. **That was me. I was the Talon. Their favourite, their best, their Gray Son.” He says. He doesn’t know what Jason will do next, but he resolves to let him do whatever he wants.****

********

********

************ ** **

****

****

********

He knows that Jason loves his family, and if he wants revenge against the Court, he can take it out on Dick. He’ll heal and if he doesn’t, Dick’s died before. Death is an old friend.

“Escaped? You- you didn’t join them? Freely, I mean.” Jason says and Dick smiles. He would’ve taken whatever Jason gave him, but its nice to know that the anti-hero has enough trust in him to wait for an explanation. 

“No, I didn’t. My family line were all supposed to be Talons, starting with my great-grandfather William Cobb. Cobb married a noble lady, but her father cast him out because he wasn’t rich enough. That’s where the name Grayson came from. The nobleman told Cobb that there was a clear divide between the rich and the poor, that there was no gray area. So, Cobb joined the Court and gave his son to Haly’s Circus to be raised as a Talon, fated to be the best of the best.” Jason makes a startled noise. Dick had told him about Haly’s before, had made it seem idyllic. Now he knows that it’s just a breeding ground for Talons.

“My grandfather in turn had a son and joined the Court. But my father, John, had me and didn’t join. He made a deal with the Court, that he would train me better than any Talon before me and in return he didn’t have to become one. Typically, I was supposed to be told about the Court at eighteen, and would start to receive electrum, which would begin my transformation into an ‘undead bastard’. 

Instead as part of the deal, I was given electrum treatment from the moment I was born. Ordinary Talons need electrum once a month otherwise their immortality fails, and they are left as corpses. Mine is permanent and having electrum at such a young age left my reflexes and healing better than any Talon before me. My parents died when I was nine, and Haly’s handed me over to the Court. I escaped when I was sixteen.” Dick explains. 

He hates talking about the Court, but this is Jason. There might be other Capes here, but Jason is the one who deserves an explanation. The man in question looks horrified and something in Dick shatters. He thinks it might be his heart. It’s only ever made an appearance when he’s with Jason which implies something that he doesn’t want to acknowledge.  
“Shit, Ren. Your dad did that to you? That’s...you were a child! Jesus. That’s fucked up Ren, even if you hadn’t been a child.” Jason says and Dick frowns. Jason’s not mad? He knows rationally that no sane parent would do that to their child -hell, even his Master had never experimented on his children- but he had been born to be a Talon. He had hated every second of the Court, but he knows that there was never going to be a life in which Dick Grayson didn’t end up as a killer. If there is, maybe that Grayson was happier than he is.

_(Worlds away, Nightwing gets the random urge to laugh. He checks to see if he’s been hit by Joker Toxin and finding none, he shrugs and moves on. Happiness doesn’t come easy to the Grayson’s, no matter what world they’re in) ___

__The Justice League look horrified too, particularly Superman and Flash. They have children he remembers faintly. Superboy and Kid Flash. He thinks that Kid Flash is the speedsters son anyways._ _

__“Renegade, if you were part of the Court, then you know the true extent of their depravities. Please help us eradicate them. Your information will help us greatly.” Wonder Woman says. He considers it. Dick has been running from the Court for four years. He has Deathstroke’s protection and his own skills, but he’ll run out of luck eventually. Besides, he wasn’t the only child that the Court took. He might be a mercenary but the contracts he takes have always been dictated by his twisted version of justice._ _

__“Okay. I made a file containing every scrap of information of the Court that I had once I escaped. I left a backdoor into their database as well. I can get the information to you, but honestly the only person I trust here is Red Hood, so I’ll send it to him.” Dick says and he can feel the relief in the room._ _

__Jason smiles at him and he grins back. He’s glad that this hasn’t changed anything between them. Dick and Jason may have hated each other for a year but since their truce, hanging out with Jason has been the highlight of his days. Murdering human trafficking rings together really makes for a good bonding experience._ _

__Jason regards Ren from his spot on the opposite side of the table. He’s still furious at Ren’s parents but the green haze that had descended on him has lifted. If John Grayson had still been alive though, he wouldn’t stay that way for long._ _

__Jason has seen the worst people the world has to offer but he reserves a special place of hatred for those who harm children, particularly those who hurt their own. He’s full of admiration as well, for Renegade. For Dick._ _

__He’s known Dick for four years _(four years since Dick had escaped from the Court and four years since Jason had died) _and his heart aches to know that someone he knows so well, someone he _loves _, had gone through something like the Court. Whenever they tore through child slavery rings or slaughtered paedophiles Dick was always so vicious. Jason had assumed it was just because the mercenary had the same hatred Jason had for those who preyed on children but now, he realises that Dick had seen himself in those children._____ _

______Had seen his father selling him to save his own skin, selling him to the goddamn Court of Owls to become an assassin.  
Willis had been a shitty father, there was no denying that, but he had never entertained the idea of forcing Jason to join Penguin’s gang. When a friend of his had suggested it, Willis had beat the shit out of them for daring to say that he would force his only child into the same life he had. He had said that it would be Jason’s choice once he was old enough._ _ _ _ _ _

______Even Bruce had given them a choice. When Jason had found the Cave, Bruce had stressed that Jason didn’t have to join him in his crusade. He had been reluctant to let him out, had set dozens of rules and safeguards in place to keep Jason safe. Jason’s chafing at those rules had been what killed him, not Bruce’s questionable parenting skills.  
Jason has a feeling that there’s more to his story than Dick has shared but he won’t press. If Dick decides to tell him, then he’ll listen but he’ll wait until the acrobat makes that decision himself._ _ _ _ _ _

______Dick stands and Jason does as well. “My files on the Court are at one of my safehouses. Hood, it’s the MCU safehouse. I’ll meet you there in a few hours, but I have something to do first.” Jason snorts at the name of the safehouse and Dick grins. It’s nicknamed the MCU safehouse because one of the first times he and Jason had spent time together without the intention of murder, they had bingewatched every Marvel movie they could find. He can still hear Jason bitching over the inaccurate fights and explosions. It’s one of Dick’s fondest memories._ _ _ _ _ _

______He turns to leave, still smiling when he’s stopped by a gruff voice. “Renegade. Thank you for agreeing to this.” Batman says and the League looks shocked.  
Evidently the Bat doesn’t show his gratitude very often. Dick regards the Gothamite for a long moment. “I didn’t do it for you.” He says finally. _ _ _ _ _ _

______He means that he’s doing it for the childhood the Court took from him, the lives they steal and the people they hurt but he thinks for a second that maybe he’s doing it for Jason too. Because if anyone else had asked him to take a job from the Justice League of all people he would’ve slammed the door in their face. But Jason wasn’t just anyone. There’s a little voice screaming in the back of his head that he can’t get attached but it’s too late for that. All he can do now is deal with it._ _ _ _ _ _

______Slade watches as his former apprentice slips through the window of his current home. Richard isn’t even trying to be stealthy so he’s probably here to talk to Slade. How interesting. Richard had been with him for two years, relearning how to function in normal society and how to fight like he was trying to stay alive but after he finished his apprenticeship, they had gone their separate ways._ _ _ _ _ _

______Richard does still come to him for advice though, and it seems like this is one of those times. If its advice on the obvious crush he has on the murder Bat, then Slade isn’t helping him. He’s shit at romance-there’s a reason his ex-wife gouged out his eye._ _ _ _ _ _

______Richard flops onto his couch and Slade makes no attempt to move his feet. Richard will simply have to deal with it. “Do I need to commit a murder or a mild felony?” He says, only half joking. Richard might be his former apprentice, but the little bastard has somehow squirmed his way into Slade’s heart alongside his actual children._ _ _ _ _ _

______“No murder necessary. I think. I’ve taken a job from the Justice League, to provide them with information on the Court of Owls so they can destroy them.” The kid says and Slade freezes. Shit. The Court had messed Richard up, badly. Renegade had gone on a murder spree the first time he was questioned about the Court._ _ _ _ _ _

______Some fool had recognised him from his Talon days and had asked Renegade about them. Renegade had thrown a dagger through his throat and disappeared. Slade had found him three days later covered in blood that didn’t belong to him and surrounded by the bodies of the gang that the fool had worked for._ _ _ _ _ _

______Slade hadn’t particularly cared about the gang or the murders but it _had _made contracts in Fremonter a little harder. Not for long though as people cared more about offing their competition than a minor gang.___ _ _ _ _ _

________“And how do you feel about this job?” Slade asks cautiously. Richard has accepted the contract, judging by his words, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely okay with taking it.  
“I don’t know. That’s why I came to you. I want the Court gone, of course I do, they ruined my life.” Richard says hesitantly. “But what if it doesn’t work? What if the league don’t take them down, what if they fail? The Court haven’t gotten to me yet, but if I’m actively involved with them again, even if its from the other side, they could find me.” He finishes, sitting up. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Slade thinks it over for a minute. “You’re right to worry. But what if it works? In our line of work, realism is the safest option, but a little bit of positivity doesn’t go awry. There are dozens of heroes in the League, metahumans, aliens, goddesses and the Bats. Besides, the Court has always known you were with me. You’re not naive enough to think that they don’t. They’ve left you alone so far, aside from a few attempts for the first year. And you know exactly why.” He says, nudging Richard’s outstretched calf._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Richard sighs. “Because of Red Hood.” He says and Slade hums in agreement. “After you two settled your differences and became friends the attacks from the Court lessened. Red Hood mightn’t have known about the Court then, but the Bats are famous for their loyalty to each other and those they deem family. Your friendship with him has kept you safe from a lot of villains that won’t dare to incur the wrath of a Bat.” He says gently._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Richard’s worries are not unfounded, and Slade doesn’t want to lose him. However, he knows that this contract can only be a good thing. On the slightest chance that the League fail to eradicate the Court of Owls, they will still decimate the cult’s ranks. It will be enough, and Richard knows it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________His erstwhile apprentice shifts on the couch and Slade pulls him close, silently vowing to keep Richard safe regardless of the outcomes. He has failed enough sons- he won’t fail this one._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! If you did, leave a comment with your favourite part and as always, critiscm is welcome, hate is not.  
> Until next time!


	3. watching all the time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slides in with a chapter two weeks late and slides back out*
> 
> The midterms i mentioned in the authors note on the first chap arrived and kicked my ass. Then they took my braincells with them.  
> Anyways, enjoy!

Jason leaves the safehouse window unlocked once he arrives. He knows that Dick has probably gone to Deathstroke, so he’ll end up rappelling across the rooftops to get here. Jason doesn’t mind that Dick went to his mentor. If their roles were reversed, and Jason had a functional relationship with Bruce, he would’ve gone straight to the Cave.

Thinking about Dick and Deathstroke makes him pause at the kitchen countertop. How is it that Jason knows Dick so well as to know where he would go when he’s upset, yet he never noticed Dick’s ties to the Court? 

The signs were there after all. Dick’s viciousness to child predators, his refusal to take contracts on specific people, his aversion to silence. Jason might not have known the Court existed, but he should have noticed that there was something in Dick’s history that caused his reactions.

He banishes those thoughts. He loves Dick but he can’t torment himself with what-ifs. Jason’s done that enough already. What if he hadn’t fought with Bruce? What if Batman had gotten to the warehouse in time? Even, what if he hadn’t stolen those tires? Nah, Jason has a lot of past to dwell on and he would never get anything done if all he did was think about what could have been. 

In the end, it was Dick’s secret to tell, and even if Jason is hurt that he hadn’t been trusted with it, it’s not about him. Besides, Dick trusts him. That’s evident by the fact he’d even agreed to face the League in the first place. The fact that Jason is one of the few to know that the infamous Renegade is addicted to sugary cereal, but he always takes his coffee black. It was such an inane detail to know about Dick but that’s the point isn’t it? No-one else knows that. 

He sighs and opens the fridge. Both Jason and Dick prefer to have heavy conversations over food because it gives them something to do. And because crying with food is vastly superior to crying without it and Jason has a sinking feeling that even him, the big bad Red Hood (which he snickers at every time) will be sobbing by the end of their conversation.

He’s not sure whether Dick will tell him about the Court and how to take it down or the Court and how he suffered in it, but either way he won’t make Dick talk about it if he doesn’t want to. He’ll just borrow the file and send it to the League.

He selfishly hopes that Dick will talk about it though and satiate Jason’s curiosity. Then he hates himself for it because Dick is self-sacrificing right down to his bones and he’ll tell Jason even if it hurts him. Jason doesn’t want to be responsible for Dick shutting down again.

(And God, that’s selfish too. Jason is a shitty friend sometimes.)

He flicks on the radio and fiddles with it until he gets to a station that’s actually playing music and decides to make xaritsa since it’s fairly simple and Dick loves it. This is Dick’s main safehouse, so he actually has food other than cereal stocked in it. 

Jason finishes cooking just in time for Dick to arrive, swinging through the window. The mercenary pauses for a second and sniffs. “That smells great Jay. Thanks for cooking.” He says but Jason hears the unspoken words. _Thanks for staying _.__

__Jason smiles at him and plates the fried bread, setting it on the kitchen table and sitting down. Dick sits opposite him and his eyes light up when he sees the Romani dish. He moans when he bites into it and Jason fights off a blush. He’s the Red Hood dammit, he’s not gonna get flustered just because Dick likes his cooking!_ _

__He’s flustered. Dick grins brightly at him, looking between the xaritsa and Jason. “For a gadjo, this is pretty good!” He says and Jason coughs. “I learned from the best. Alfred! Yeah, uh Alf taught me how to cook.” Dick was the one to show him Roma food though. He’s gonna ignore that for the sake of his dignity._ _

__Dick does too thankfully, and they chat for a while, studiously ignoring the giant tap-dancing elephant in the room. Not literally thankfully, as wild things are known to happen in Gotham._ _

__Eventually they can’t ignore it anymore. Jason sets down his cutlery and looks straight at Dick. “I’m not gonna ask about what you went through in the Court. The only thing I _need _to know is how they operate. If you’re not comfortable talking about what happened to you, then we don’t have to talk about it.” He says gently.  
If talking about it will trigger something for Dick, then Jason will happily go through the rest of his life knowing nothing about Dick's experiences. They're his to share and Jason promises himself that he won't pry. ___ _

____Dick nods and Jason receives a small smile. “Like I said earlier, I have a file with notes about the layout and hierarchy of the Court, all that fun stuff. But it’s the Talons you need to know about. I didn’t write anything about us in the file, for obvious reasons.” He says and Jason nods. If anyone got their hands on that file, they’d be able to hurt Dick since he was a Talon too. Dick drags his computer over to the table and types for a few minutes before there's a vibration in Jason's pocket and he pulls out his phone to forward the file to Bruce. He'll get it to the rest of the League_ _ _ _

____Dick takes a deep breath and begins. “ We can survive pretty much anything. You can technically kill a Talon, but we revive like a minute later. Decapitation sticks the longest but as long as the…head… is nearby we can basically just-“ He mimes jamming something onto his neck and Jason shudders. He’s no stranger to gore but the idea of someone casually reattaching their severed head is a bit much._ _ _ _

____“One weakness we have is the cold. Anything below minus 20- wait shit, the League is mostly American. Jesus, what’s that in Fahrenheit? Ah, minus four, I think. Slade developed these pills after the Court attacked me the first time after my escape. They can freeze a Talon. I call them chill pills.” Dick continues, smiling. Jason snickers at the thought of a sixteen year old Renegade looking Deathstroke straight in the eye and calling his pharmaceutical breakthrough ‘chill pills’._ _ _ _

____“They can be converted into gas as well, the formula is pretty similar. Basically, you jam a pill into their mouth, or inject it, disperse it whatever. It reacts with the electrum in our veins and freezes it near instantaneously. It works on full Talons but not as much on me because I have regular blood as well as electrum.” Dick explains. Jason frowns in confusion. What does Dick mean by ‘regular blood’?_ _ _ _

____Dick notices his bewilderment. “Usually, Talons are killed, and their blood is left to drain out. Then the body is put into cryofreeze and the empty veins are filled with electrum, which reanimates the body. That’s why I’m different to other Talons. They need to be reinjected with electrum once every month because their solution starts to break down. Electrum can’t regenerate itself, which is why the chill pills work so well. When the electrum freezes, it can’t flow anymore, and since it’s the only thing keeping them animated, they shut down .” He says._ _ _ _

____Jason recalls Dick’s explanation to the League earlier and remembers Dick mentioning that regular Talons needed a top up while he never did. He doesn’t like where this is going.  
Dick keeps talking and Jason tunes back in. ”Whereas with me, my mother drank an electrum compound while she was pregnant, and I was fed it from the day I was born. My circulatory system has never known anything other than an electrum/blood mix, so it’s completely bonded with me. When new red blood cells are generated in my body, they automatically generate electrum with it.” Dick says and Jason is once again filled with murderous intent to Dick’s long dead parents._ _ _ _

____“That’s pretty fucked up, Dick.” Is all Jason can think to say. Dick’s own mother had drank what was basically liquid metal, while pregnant with a human fucking being, and then continued to feed that baby _more _liquid metal, in the hopes her child would grow up to become an assassin for a group of deeply screwed up people.___ _ _ _

______Jason can understand wanting to protect your husband, protecting yourself, but if that protection involved experimenting on a _child _, then he would never have done what Richard Grayson and Mary Grayson had done.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Dick smiles ruefully. “Yeah, it is. I wonder sometimes what my life would’ve been like if they hadn’t done it. I wouldn’t have become a Talon, probably wouldn’t have become Renegade, maybe I wouldn’t have met _you _. Then I remember all the good in my life. Yeah, my parents technically experimented on me but growing up in a circus was amazing. I think they felt guilty so they tried to give me as good of a life as they could before I had to go to the Court. The seven years I spent with them were the worst years of my life, but I escaped. Then I had Slade, and then I had you. You saved me Jason, in more than one way.” He says. Jason has to smile at that because it’s just so _Dick _.  
“How- how did you escape? Like I said earlier, you don’t have to answer.” Jason asks, because they may have gotten side-tracked but he’s still curious. Dammit, he's prying. Well he can't take it back now._____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“The first resurrection changed the other Talons. My first resurrection was just the Court killing me to test if my electrum actually worked. There wasn’t any blood transfusion involved, so I kept my memories and humanity. I always wanted to escape unlike the rest. It was actually with Deathstroke’s help. The Court wanted someone dead, but they wanted it to be flashy and noticeable. Since they’re a secret society, they didn’t want to claim the kill by using us, but they didn’t trust Deathstroke, so they sent their Gray Son with him. They trusted me at that point so although I was tracked, I wasn’t bugged. They didn’t think I could say anything other than ‘The Court of Owls has sentenced you to die’. Dick explains and Jason is abruptly reminded of the Talons that attacked Bruce and Damian. They hadn’t said much either._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Deathstroke was the first non-Court person that seemed to care I was a child. It turned out that he had kids and Grant was my age so fair enough. I decided to trust him, and we made a plan. I returned to the Court, saying that he was trustworthy, and the Court could use him for other jobs they didn’t want us Talons doing. He kept taking jobs until the Court got comfortable. Then I took a job with him and disappeared. I never returned after the job and they started sending other Talons after us. I took on the Renegade mantel and one of Deathstroke’s contacts got us in touch with a magic user who could restore me to what I would have looked like without the use of electrum. They stopped coming soon after I met you.” Dick finishes. Jason is surprised that Deathstroke helped him, but he remembers there used to be younger mercs like Ravager always taking jobs with Deathstroke. They must have been his kids._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“What do you mean restored?” He asks because he’s always been too nosy for his own good. Dick shrugs and answers. “The other Talons have golden-yellow eyes and pale skin with black veins. The electrum in our veins is fairly passive until we get hurt or we die, and it has to bring us back. It takes a lot of ambient energy from my body, and over time my skin paled and my eyes shifted to the same gold that’s found in metal electrum, while my veins rotted from the strain. The magic user basically just restored what the electrum had taken and gave it a new power source. Now, when I’m killed or hurt, the electrum feeds off it instead of me. That’s why the Talons are kept in cryo when they’re not on a mission. It minimises the amount that the electrum takes.” He explains._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jason kind of wants to track down that magic user and thank them. He’s been in love with Dick for maybe two and a half years, even when he didn’t know what the merc looked like, but his beauty certainly doesn’t hurt._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He first met Dick three years ago when he had dropped into one of Jason’s meetings and casually murdered one of the mob bosses he’d been talking to. He’d been pissed at first but suddenly Deathstroke’s apprentice had been everywhere and Jason had fallen in love with him over rooftop fights and later, shitty takeout and even shittier movies. He had always found Dick attractive even when the bi-coloured mask had stayed on. His cheekbones could cut glass and Jason had nearly fainted when Dick had brushed away blood from a split lip and grinned at him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________It sounded like a cliché from one of Jason’s novels but Jason would be a goddamn cliché so long as he got to stare at those delicious biceps straining against Kevlar, while a pink tongue slid across perfect teeth to taste blood._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Then the mask had come off and _goddamn _he'd taken back every complaint he’d had about the myriad of ways poets described blue eyes and started scrambling for their words. Then, Dick was sleeping on his safehouse couch and Jason was moving around him in the kitchen as he poured coffee, eyes bright and sleep-warm. Then Dick was showing him Roma recipes and telling him about the history behind them all.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jason loves Dick and he probably will until the day he dies, however long away that is. He’s okay with it, because if he had to live loving anyone, it doesn’t get much better than Dick Grayson._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get to action next chapter, depending on what Jason and Dick decide to do. This entire chap was supposed to be in Dick's POV but then Jason took over.  
> Xaritsa is a Roma fried cornbread, and apparently it's delicious  
> I changed the chap count bc i did not expect to write this much exposition!  
> Kudos are appreciated and if you enjoyed this, leave a comment below with your fave part  
> Thank you so much to those who commented on the previous chaps. That was my main motivator to writ this chap.  
> Hope you enjoyed this!


	4. Ruling From A Shadowed Perch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! Chapter four.  
> Hope you guys enjoy it!

Dick lies on his bed feeling like a teenager in a shitty romcom. Jason had left a few hours earlier and Dick is still thinking about him. Jason is his best friend, but so much more. Dick’s been in love with him for a while even if he didn’t want to admit it. 

He’s only ever told Slade about what happened when he was a kid. How he ended up with the Court. Slade had been furious, and Dick had gotten scared. He’d thought that Slade was mad at him and had started apologising, giving Slade a knife to punish him like the Court had. That had just led to a panic attack on Dick’s part and general panic on Slade’s. It had ended with the first hug he’d had in seven years.

But with Jason, it had been different. The vigilante had let him explain, not interrupting once. He hadn’t pushed Dick to talk about it and he had been gentle. After he had finished talking Jason had just pulled him in for a hug and they had moved to the couch and cuddled while watching Netflix. 

Jason had left eventually, saying he had to meet Batman to discuss their next move. He had reassured Dick that the ex-Talon didn’t need to be involved with the takedown of his former masters. 

But Dick is conflicted. He hates the Court, but he’s scared of them too, yet he wants them gone. He’s helping the League with information, but his part is technically done. He doesn’t have to be involved anymore. He wants to be though and that scares him too.

Dick just keeps going around in circles. The League has the knowledge they need. They’ve never faced a Talon and don’t know how to fight one. If he helps them and they fail, the Court might come after him again. If they win, Dick can finally stop looking over his shoulder all the time, waiting for the Court.

Dick thinks back to his conversation with Slade earlier. He had made a valid point- the Court stopped attacking when he met Jason. Dick hates to think that he’s using his best friend, but the fact is that the Court have left him alone so that the Bats don’t learn of their existence. That’s a moot point now though. The Bats already know. 

_Fuck _.__

__His entire reason for not attacking the Court with the League has been blown completely out of the water. If they fail, the Court will come after him regardless of how much he helped the League simply because they no longer have to avoid Jason._ _

__Besides, it’s the right thing to do. God, his previous morals had been beaten out of him in the Court and his current ones are mainly just no killing kids and always researching his targets to make sure they’re guilty. Now he’s working with heroes because it’s the ‘right thing to do.’_ _

__Grandfather is probably rolling in his cryo tube. His precious Gray Son working against his beloved Court. That is partly his reason for helping if Dick’s being completely honest.  
Dick sits up and grabs his mask and weapons. He walks to the wardrobe and pulls back a false panel on the bottom of it. His Talon uniform sits there, goggles gleaming, and knives arrayed neatly. He still uses knives as Renegade but mostly guns. _ _

__If he’s gonna teach the League how to fight Talons though, he’ll need to use the gear that Talons have. Dick can’t stomach the thought of wearing that godforsaken uniform again, so he’ll wear his Renegade outfit. He’s never putting on the black and gold suit again. Dick grabs the knives and the golden claws slipping them into his utility belt._ _

__Jason has mentioned he was meeting the JL in one of Oracle’s old safehouses. The League isn’t usually allowed in Gotham, but apparently the Court had warranted an exception.  
Dick slips out his window and starts running across the rooftops. He will always hate his parents just a bit for the electrum, but he can’t deny that the advanced healing and the increased stamina are pretty cool. _ _

__He reaches the safehouse after about forty minutes and perches on a building opposite it, psyching himself up. From what Dick can tell and from what Jason has told him, it’s two storys, one level underground and one at street level. The aboveground section looks like an ordinary brownstone, but Dick knows that there’s a gym, med bay and a computer bank from a hacker’s wildest dreams hidden underneath._ _

__Dick takes a deep breath before pulling out his grapple and swinging into the alley beside the building. Oracle probably has amazing security, but Dick is no slouch. He quickly finds a vent that leads into the underground portion and slides into it. No one ever remembers the vents._ _

__Dick crawls along the vent and reaches a wider space. He looks through the vent cover and jackpot. The League is down below, computer screens showing his files while the heroes cluster in small groups discussing what’s written on them. Jason is leaning against a wall, watching Batman being flipped by Wonder Woman._ _

__Dick mentally cheers her on. Wonder Woman is a goddess, both literally and figuratively, and she could kick his ass any day. Jason stiffens and looks up, spotting Dick in the corner ceiling of the room. Dick grins. Forty seconds, Jay’s getting sloppy._ _

__The antihero sees him grinning and rolls his eyes, pushing off the wall and stalking over to his side of the room. The other heroes stop what they’re doing, glancing over at Jason quizzically._ _

__“Yeah, yeah, I should’ve seen you sooner. Glad you’re here, Ren, but maybe quit the ceiling gremlin impression. That’s Red Knight’s job.” Jason says and Dick laughs. The League startle. Clearly, they didn’t know that he’s here. Even Superman looks surprised and Dick reminds himself to send a thank you note to Slade. The lead-lining really does work._ _

__“I was the original ceiling gremlin. Tell your brother to start paying royalties.” Dick responds and slides open the cover, dropping gracefully to the ground. “Besides, it’s your fault I’m here.” He says meeting Jason in the middle of the floor._ _

__“Oh? How’s that? I did say you didn’t have to come. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good that you’re here but how is it my fault?” Jason says. Dick smiles at him, a genuine smile not a smirk or a grin._ _

__“Because I didn’t have morals before I met you. Oh sure, I had some. Mainly just don’t kill kids and always kill rapists. Your stupid ‘try to do the right thing’ mentality infected me. I felt guilty for not helping more when I could. Actual guilt! Anyways, you’re the only one here who has properly fought a Talon, the rest don’t know how we work, hence my presence.” He explains, throwing his hands in the air. Jason starts laughing, probably at him._ _

__Now its Dick’s turn to roll his eyes. Jason claps him on the shoulder and turns him around, steering him towards the centre of the room. “Okay, you all know Renegade, yes he’s on our side for this, yes he is an ex-Talon, not by choice, and he’s here to fight us for fun apparently.” Jason says to the gathered heroes._ _

__“Not gonna lie, it will be fun to fight you all but I’m not here to hurt you. It’s just sparring.” Dick interjects. He enjoys his terrifying reputation, but he doesn’t want everyone here to be too scared to fight him._ _

__“I know you just said he’s on our side, but I feel like we should be worried that Renegade of all people managed to break into a highly secure safehouse. And not just any safehouse, a Bat Clan one.” A hero says._ _

__Dick doesn’t know which one but to be fair he only needs to memorise heroes from the cities he works in, and there are a lot of places he doesn’t tend to take jobs from. Maybe the hero is from…Illinois? He doesn’t do a lot of work in Illinois. Wait no, Chicago is in Illinois. Dick occasionally works in Chicago._ _

__Either way, possibly Illinoisan hero has a point. They should be worried but it’s not like they can do much about him. Dick is a mercenary but most importantly he is an agent of chaos. Jason wasn’t wrong when he called Dick a gremlin._ _

__There’s some muttering from other heroes, probably agreeing with them. “Yeah, ‘highly secure’ isn’t in Renegade's vocabulary. Either way, we can’t really do much about his tendency to break into high profile places, but I wouldn’t worry. Ren and I are good friends, and he hates the Court of Owls more than he hates the law.” Jason defends him. It makes Dick feel warm which is always nice._ _

__“Who wants to fight me first? Talons only use knives and gauntlets so no one needs to worry about stray bullets plus I’m not gonna do anything that could potentially take someone out of the fight against the Court. Many hands and all that shit.” Dick says. He kinda hopes Superman will take him up on the offer first-he’s always wanted to fight an alien. “Oh! Before I forget, us Talons have an incredibly fast healing factor. Anyone here ever seen the Deadpool movies? Basically that, we don’t stay dead. Go wild! I’ve never been afraid of a little arterial spray.” He adds on. Dick doesn’t want anyone going easy on him just because they don’t want to hurt him. Death doesn't bother him anymore_ _

__Superman steps forward. _Yes! _He gets to fight an alien. Then Superman starts talking. “Renegade, while it is helpful to know of the Talons healing factor and we are grateful to get the chance to learn how to fight them none of us want to kill you!”___ _

____Dick thinks he hears someone whisper that they wouldn’t mind but elects to ignore it. “Superman, while that is quite nice of you, its also pointless. When you end up fighting an actual Talon, they will not stop coming. We are trained to fight even if our body is still regenerating itself after a fatal injury. If I fight you and you hold back because you don’t want to temporarily incapacitate me, you will be slaughtered the second you fight a Talon. Maybe not you specifically because of the whole invulnerability thing, but the majority of people here are very susceptible to decapitation.” He tries to explain. Superman seems pretty stubborn though._ _ _ _

____“This is a training session! No one is getting decapitated.” He says, horrified. Weird. Maybe the Kryptonian just needs a demonstration. “Okay, you don’t want to kill me. But have you considered that I will be fine! You could literally cave my ribcage in right now and I would be able to keep fighting. It would heal in like twelve seconds tops.” Dick replies. Seems pretty logical to him._ _ _ _

____He knows that non-Court people tend to be surprised by his healing factor and nonchalance towards death but come on! It had only taken Slade a couple of minutes to adjust._ _ _ _

____Then Dick gets an idea. Probably a horrible one and Jason might be mad later but whatever. “Fine we can do it your way. You don’t have to commit any _temporary _murder, we can just spar.” Dick says. He can see Jason frown out of the corner of his eye. Jason knows that Dick is way more stubborn than Superman and yet he’s now acquiescing to the others demands? Yeah, Jason is definitely getting suspicious.___ _ _ _

______Dick doesn’t give Superman too long to adjust to his sudden change of mind. He simply waves the gathered heroes back and falls into a familiar stance, pulling out his knives. Superman prepares as well and before he can attack, Dick brings his knife to his own throat._ _ _ _ _ _

______He pulls it across his neck in a practiced motion and feels it catch on the thick walls of his carotid artery. It doesn’t hurt too badly, only about the same as a papercut. While Superman gapes in horror, Dick leaps at him, using the distraction._ _ _ _ _ _

______It’s a common tactic among Talons like himself, to let your opponent get in a wound that would be near fatal or crippling to a regular person and then attack them. It provides a good distraction and people tend to be unnerved by fighting someone who should rightly be dead._ _ _ _ _ _

______In his shock, Superman reacts too slowly. Dick sweeps his legs from under him and while the alien is falling, hooks his arm around Superman’s neck. They end up in a rather awkward position. Superman is lying flat on the ground with Dick’s arm curled under his neck. However, if Dick just puts his other hand on the opposite side, a simple twist could kill him. Or if he just uses the knife currently in his grasp._ _ _ _ _ _

______Dick himself has already stopped bleeding. He had actually healed in the three seconds between leaping at Superman and actually landing on him. He’s perfectly fine but looking at the stunned alien laid flat before him, he might have accidentally traumatised the Boy Scout. Meh, the guys a superhero, it was bound to happen eventually._ _ _ _ _ _

______He was probably traumatised before Dick’s arrival actually. Super heroism tends to involve a tragic backstory and a bucket load of trauma. Dick has a boat load of it and he’s closer to a villain than an anti-hero at the very least._ _ _ _ _ _

______Dick stands back up, and wipes away the blood at his neck, revealing perfectly unmarred tan skin. “Don’t go easy on me just because it’s training. You’re bulletproof but your bones break as easily as everyone else’s. That move is nicknamed 'fatal wound, quick strike', because you can slit a throat causing a fatal wound or snap a neck, in a quick strike. It’s a tactic every Talon I know has used at least once. So, get up, and fight me like you’re trying to kill me. Because when you take the Court, you’ll be fighting to stay alive. Talons are no joke and killing them is unavoidable. You will not be able to simply fling them into a wall and hope for the best. I’m assuming Jason has already mentioned our one weakness?” He receives a nod from the alien._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Great! _Use it _. I slit my throat and it took three seconds to heal. If you freeze a Talon in the midst of regenerating, then they’re stuck like that until they’re unfrozen. Capiche?” Dick says. He receives another sheepish nod. “Okay then! Ready?”___ _ _ _ _ _

________Dick slides back into his stance, Superman mirroring him, and then they’re off again. Dick takes a hard strike to the jaw, shattering it, and he grins through the blood dripping down his face and flings himself at the hero. That’s more like it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jason watches in awe as Dick fights Clark, taking hits that would have laid a normal human flat out and getting back up. He can see Dick’s bones break from the force of the Kryptonian’s strikes but equally, he can see them healing in moments._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jason usually views violence as a means to an end. Kneecap that dealer, he won’t sell to kids again. Castrate that rapist, he’ll never have kids again. It’s familiar, almost easy. Violence was his lullaby growing up and that hasn’t changed much but now, watching Dick slam feet first into Superman of all people, knocking him on his ass, Jason is suddenly wildly attracted to violence._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jason has always known that Dick is deadly but seeing him in action drives home the point that the ex-Talon can most definitely kick his ass. He kinda likes it if he’s being totally honest._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Dick flips over Clark’s head, trained muscles moving in tandem to propel him through the air, and oh Lord, if there is truly such a thing as Hell, Jason’s going straight to it.  
He’s currently sitting on a chair with his feet on the table accompanying it, but he’s going to have to move. His Kevlar keeps him safe, but it is also unforgivably tight sometimes. Tim stands beside him and a knowing grin spreads across his younger brothers face. Goddamn genius._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“So, Renegade huh?” The pest asks and Jason hisses at him to “Shut the fuck up Replacement!”. Bruce looks over at them, face covered by the cowl, but Jason knows exactly how to read him. B had heard Tim’s comment and Jason’s defensive retort. _Well, fuck _.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________If Bruce decides to make any comments on Jason’s (excellent) taste in men, he’s gonna ask him if Talia has visitation rights for Damian. That always shuts him up.  
Tim, however, is a persistent little bastard and has barely had any relationships so Jason can’t shut him up with pointed retorts about his exes. He actually likes Steph._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Seriously? I guess he’s attractive but he's a mercenary.” Tim says and Jason bristles. First of all, Dick’s face could have been carved by Aphrodite herself and his body is an example of peak physical condition. Second of all, Jason himself has been known to pick up mercenary work on occasion and that’s not all Dick does. In his civilian identity, he teaches impoverished kids gymnastics.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Seeing Dick show a seven year old how to do a cartwheel had nearly given Jason a heart attack. By God, he wants to have that man’s children, even if it’s biologically impossible.  
“You guess? Jesus, you couldn’t have sounded straighter if you tried, Ren is the hottest person I’ve ever met. Plus, he’s one of the better mercs. He only takes contracts after he’s provided with solid reasoning and evidence, his kills are always clean and quick unless they’re rapists, paedophiles or abusers, and he’s great with kids. Besides, aren’t you forgetting what _I _do for a living?” Jason retorts because he’s always ready to defend Dick.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Dick and Jason are best friends before all else, and he knows that if the roles were reversed Dick would defend him too. Hell, Dick has probably had to rationalise their friendship a dozen times, to both Deathstroke and his merc contacts._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Tim rolls his eyes. “Please never call me straight again, Renegade isn’t my type, is all. And a better merc is still a merc! But our family have all had questionable relationships and I suppose Renegade is helping us. I trust your judgement, Jay, but if this goes South, I’ll kick Renegade’s ass and then I’m gonna laugh at you.” Tim says and Jason smiles._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________His family is unconventional to say the least, but they’ve always got each other’s backs. He has no doubt that Tim means his words. He doesn’t think Dick would ever hurt him purposefully but it’s nice to know that his brother is willing to throw down for him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jason has hope that he and Dick could have a relationship, and once this Court shit is dealt with, he plans on asking him out. He already has a PowerPoint typed up with all the reasons he loves Dick, so that when the blue-eyed beauty lets his insecurities get the best of him, Jason can reassure him that Dick is the only one for him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jason’s not perfect either and he can’t wait for them to be imperfect together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that might have been the longest chap so far lol  
> Hope you liked it and if you did, leave a comment with your favourite part!  
> As always, critism is welcomed, hate is not


	5. Beware

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada!  
> This is probably the last chap of exposition before we get into the actual fighty bit. Next chap is gonna be angsty!  
> Enjoy!

Dick fights nearly every hero in the room. He’s having fun, truth be told. He hasn’t fought Jason though and he’s not planning to. Dick has fought him before, for real and as a sparring match, and he knows Jason will be fine at the Court. The Gotham vigilantes have already faced the Talons.

Eventually, Wonder Woman calls an end to the ‘training session’. Really, it’s just been Dick defeating person after person in variously embarrassing ways. He’s only lost a few matches-one to Wonder Woman herself (he got to fight Wonder Woman!) and one to a Norwegian hero, Ice. That’s fair enough though considering her superpower is literally his Kryptonite. 

Jason hasn’t moved much over the past few hours, alternatively sitting at a table, or sitting on it. Neither have the rest of the Bat Clan. The only one missing is Shadow and judging by the murderous looks on the faces of the Bats, the Court will most certainly be paying for their injured youngest.

As Wonder Woman calls the heroes to order, Dick wanders over to Jason. Red Knight and Spoiler are seated beside him, and their eyes sharpen at Dick’s arrival. He can see the rest of the Family tense from their various spots arrayed around the three heroes table. 

Dick pretends not to notice and simply flings himself into the empty chair beside Jason. He squirms in his newly acquired seat until he’s lying with his head on Jason’s muscular thighs, the rest of his body draped across the chair. Spoiler snorts from the corner and Jason laughs. “You comfy Ren?” He asks jokingly and Dick smiles.

“Meh, you’re a good pillow. Besides, I missed doing this.” Dick responds. “We were literally at your safehouse ‘doing this’ a couple of hours ago. We watched White Collar and systematically pointed out all the flaws in it, not that there are many when it comes to Neal McCaffrey.” Jason says and Dick can see the other Bats exchange near imperceptible glances. Dick just knows that Batman’s eyebrows are raised under that ridiculous cowl.

Speaking of ridiculous cowls, Dick reaches up to pull off that stupid, stupid helmet. Jason shakes his head like a dog, black hair sticking up at awkward angles. Privately, Dick thinks that a red domino suits Jason. It highlights his killer cheekbones and sharp jaw, while having the advantage of not looking like a condom. 

“Dammit Ren, now people will know us Bats get helmet hair too.” Jason complains, making Dick laugh. “Seriously! A Bat having a flaw? It’ll be the gossip of the century.” He manages to hold a serious face for all of four seconds before joining Dick in his laughter, head thrown back in mirth. He looks back down at Dick, still smiling and Dick… well he falls a little more.

The Bats seem even more confused now, Dick thinks. Black Bat had half-rose from her seat when Dick had tugged off Jason’s helmet, but she sits back down when he laughs. Batman is still tense and Dick has a feeling that Jason might have to explain some things to his adoptive father. Dick doesn’t particularly care about the Family’s opinions though, not when he has Jason looking at him like this, his head tilted down to catch Dick’s eyes, seeming so much softer with a smile spread across his face.

Dick knows they have work to do, that the Court are still a danger, but right now, the world can wait.

Bruce watches Renegade- Richard Grayson- drape himself over Bruce’s eldest son. Before today, the sight of one of the deadliest mercenary’s on the planet in such close proximity to Jason would have sent his blood pressure skyrocketing. Now though, he knows that while he mightn’t be able to trust Renegade with say, the world, he can trust him with _Bruce’s _world.__

__Bruce has always been vaguely aware of Renegade and has fought him once or twice. The merc has only been operating for about four years after all. He had originally thought that the reason Renegade didn’t appear until he was around sixteen was because, for all his faults, Slade Wilson wouldn’t force a child to become a mercenary. Sure, sixteen was still a child, but Bruce had assumed that Renegade was Wilson’s biologically and all of Deathstroke’s previous children had started at sixteen._ _

__Looking at Renegade now, all he feels is guilt. Its not a foreign emotion. He feels guilty about plenty of things, but the Grayson’s were always one of his regrets. He had never found Tony Zucco and the small child crouched over his parents bodies had never found justice. He had planned on taking in the child when he learned that the circus wouldn’t be allowed to keep him, but then a relative had been found, a grandfather, who was willing to take him._ _

__Now he knows that said grandfather was part of the Court and that Richard Grayson had subsequently become a Talon. He had resurfaced around the same time as Renegade had appeared actually, which made sense._ _

__Ever since Jason had brought Renegade to the Watchtower and the mercenary had revealed his past with the Court though, Bruce has been beating himself up over his failure to protect Richard._ _

__Jason says something about Netflix and cuddling with Renegade and Bruce’s head snaps up. He had known of the two’s occasional partnership and Jason did say he trusted Renegade, but he didn’t think they were that close. Renegade then reaches up to tug off Jason’s helmet and Bruce stares because Jason _lets him _.___ _

____Bruce knows for a fact that the clasp of Red Hood’s helmet can only be opened by certain people. Jason has fingerprint recognition on it, for God’s sake. It had taken months of reconciliation with his eldest before his print was added and even then, it only works if Jason is unconscious or incapacitated._ _ _ _

____Yet Renegade of all people has access. That means Renegade most likely knows Jason’s identity too, and thus the identity of all of Gotham’s vigilantes. It’s not too hard to match them once you know one person’s identity. Knowing Jason’s identity means that Renegade can match Black Bat’s Asian features to Cassandra Cain. He can match Red Knight’s slim figure and dark hair to Tim Drake-Wayne._ _ _ _

____This is bad. No matter how much Jason trusts Renegade, he’s still a mercenary, and there’s no way of knowing that he won’t sell the Family’s identities to the highest bidder or use it as leverage to stop Batman from interrupting his contracts._ _ _ _

____How could Jason have told him? Even worse, why did he allow Renegade even more access, by adding his prints to the helmet?_ _ _ _

____Bruce catches Jason’s eyes and growls low in his throat. He’s developed a complex language consisting of small movements and slight sounds over the years with his Family and Jason knows what this one means._ _ _ _

_____Come here ____ _ _ _

______Jason shifts Renegade off of him and strides over to Bruce. The two of them melt into the shadows, stepping back further so their conversation will go unnoticed. Bruce knows that his other children are watching, and that Renegade is likely paying close attention to them too but he trusts that the Family will keep an eye on the merc._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Care to explain why Renegade is capable of taking off your helmet? Does he know our identities?” Bruce says, doing his best to sound measured and calm. He thinks he’s failing because Jason looks defensive._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yeah, old man, he does, and it ain’t a problem. Leave it, I trust Di-Ren with my life. And with yours. He’s good.” Jason responds and Bruce sighs. “Hood, Renegade is a deadly mercenary. He’s wanted by every agency in America, and probably some more elsewhere. He’s killed hundreds of people, possibly thousands and has taken contracts from the worst of the worst. He works with Deathstroke, for God’s sake!” Bruce says, doing his best to keep his voice down._ _ _ _ _ _

______“That’s not all he is! I’m a killer too, don’t forget. The Family will never understand what it’s like to do what Ren and I do. White Knight and Black Bat have killed, but not the way we do. I’m wanted by my fair share of law enforcement and Ren and I aren’t that different.” Jason hisses back._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Of course, you’re different! I don’t agree with your methods, but you kill criminals, bad people. I may not approve but I understand your philosophy. Renegade kills for money and he does contracts for whoever takes his fancy. You at least mainly limit your murderous tendencies to murderers, paedophiles and rapists.” Bruce shoots back. He knows that he’s horribly biased but try as he might, he could never think the worst of his children._ _ _ _ _ _

______“So does Renegade! He researches every contract he’s offered, and if someone truly horrible tries to hire him, he takes care of them instead. Renegade has saved me dozens of times. I’m surprised you haven’t heard about it honestly. Ren set up shop in the Haven last year, and although I wouldn’t classify him as a hero just yet, he’s been making a name for himself there.” Jason says, visibly pissed at Bruce. He should stop pushing but he needs to know more._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Did you tell him outright or did he figure it out? And I know you might trust him with your life, but your siblings and I never agreed to Renegade knowing our identities. You know that it’s not hard to figure out the rest of the Family once one of us is outed.” Bruce says. He wants to trust Jason’s word, but his eldest isn’t his only child and he needs to protect the rest of them._ _ _ _ _ _

______Jason deflates. “He wasn’t meant to find out. Talia was pissed when I cut contact with her, and doubly pissed when White Knight did. She sent a couple of the League to capture me and drag me back to Nanda Parbat. The assassins were waiting on her and thought it’d be cool to find out who the Red Hood really was. Ren broke in to save me just as the mask came off. He recognised me and that was when he took his own mask off. It’s mutually assured destruction. You know that Renegade’s civilian identity isn’t exactly inconspicuous either. Like you said, he’s on the shit list of the intelligence agencies in the world. At least the Bats are technically heroes. If Renegade’s identity gets out, he’s deader than dead, even with his healing factor.” He says, which does change things._ _ _ _ _ _

______Bruce had forgotten the implications of Renegade revealing his identity to the Founders earlier today. God, this morning feels like a lifetime away._ _ _ _ _ _

______Jason is right. Richard ‘Dick’ Grayson is a well-known Olympian gymnast. Renegade has a lot to lose if his identity gets out._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You’re sure that Renegade told no one?” Bruce double checks and Jason nods. “Why didn’t you tell me? It’s not just your identity, Jay. Your siblings had the right to know.” He asks gently. He doesn’t want to anger Jason, and damage their relationship again, but their secret is a huge one and it affects all of them._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We weren’t on the best terms at the time. It was about a year and a half ago, about six months after mine and Renegade’s truce. By the time you and I made our own truce, it wasn’t really an issue anymore. Ren proved himself to me, and we spent time together outside of our uniforms. I guess I… I didn’t want to tell you and end up losing either of you. If you had told me to stop talking to him, I would’ve refused but our relationship was so fragile, that I was scared it would shatter.” Jason explains and Bruce’s heart aches._ _ _ _ _ _

______He loves Jason so much and he hates being reminded of the damage he had done to his son. He had done it though, and he has to face the facts. Still, it hurts to know that Jason was scared to tell him something so important because he didn’t want to lose Renegade _or _Bruce.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Something is niggling at him, but he needs to reassure Jason first. “That was a valid concern I suppose. But Jason, you don’t need to fear losing me like that again. When you returned to Gotham and became the Red Hood, I know I hurt you a lot. I was quite possibly the worst father in existence then and you have a right to be wary. I want you to know that I love you and that no matter what you tell me, I’m not going to abandon you again.” Bruce says. He _needs _Jason to know this. He couldn’t live with himself if Jason went through life thinking that Bruce didn’t love him.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Thanks B. Coming from you, that means a lot.” Jason says quietly and God, Bruce is so proud of him. The Jason of a decade ago would have never been this emotionally vulnerable. He wouldn’t have told Bruce about his fears and he would have reacted to Bruce’s reassurance with manufactured anger and bluster._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Bruce is curious about one thing though. “You’ve mentioned a truce with Renegade a couple of times. Can I ask what that’s about?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He’s been watching Renegade and Jason interact all day. He’s seen the way Jason looks at him and heard Tim’s sly comments earlier. Jason loves Renegade, loves Richard, even if they haven’t admitted it to each other yet. If they ever get around to talking about their obvious attraction to each other, Bruce wants to be on good terms with his possible future son-in-law. If Jason can make a truce with him, so can Bruce._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh, that. Yeah, Ren and I weren’t on good terms for about a year after his debut. Mainly because one of his first contracts was taking out a mob I was talking to. I was planning on taking their territory and then disbanding their trafficking ring. They were gonna die anyway, I just needed it to be tied to me so I could publicly announce the expansion of _my _territory. He nearly shot me too, before I cleared up the misunderstanding. Kind of violently, but he got the point. Then we kept running into each other on jobs and arguing, also violently, a lot. We eventually realised we were better off being allies, and then we became friends.” Jason shrugs and Bruce’s eyes narrow behind the cowl. Jason is hiding something. There’s more to the story.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Bruce has been trying to get better about staying out of his children’s business when they want him to, but he’s curious. Besides, technically Renegade is his ally too, even if it’s only temporary. “What convinced you?” He asks casually. He’s not prepared for the answer Jason gives. “Renegade did what you were never willing to do.” His son says, meeting his stare coolly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________What Bruce was never willing to do? ___Then his blood runs cold. He knows what Jason means._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Two years ago, the body of Jack Napier, alias Joker, was found in an abandoned warehouse, showing signs of blunt force trauma possibly due to a crowbar, with a bullet through his skull. Bruce has never been able to figure out who did it. But if Jason is saying what he thinks he is, then..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Renegade killed the Joker.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> To recap, Dick beats up a bunch of superheroes, Bruce does what he does best and guilts, he also happens to be a good dad for once, and Dick killed the Joker
> 
> I've been mentioning the truce on and off so I figured it was about time I explained it. It also sets up two of the side stories I'm planning to publish once the main story wraps up
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it! Kudos or leave a comment with your fave part if you did, and I'll see ye next time

**Author's Note:**

> So! Jason's reaction will come in the next chapter but I love cliffhangers so I just had to put one in. All of the chapter titles will probably come from the court rhyme   
> Hope you enjoyed this!


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